The Residents Associations Coalition for Electoral Reforms (RACER) has called upon the local authorities to allocate funds for the construction of more rehabilitation centers for substance abusers, particularly young people.
The association represents residents’ views and concerns across the country and provide a forum for residents to consider matters of local concerns and importance.
According to the statistics compiled by the Zimbabwe Civil Liberties and Drug Network, 60 per cent of psychiatric admissions were due to drug abuse.
The network also revealed that 8 per cent of these were people aged 16 to 25, including schoolgirls.
Addressing journalists Monday in Harare, the association’s spokesperson Marvelous Khumalo said local authorities should step up their efforts in tackling drug abuse scourge.
“We urge local authorities to allocate funds that will be used to construct rehabilitation centers for drug abusers.
“Local social service departments should also be adequately provided with social workers who would assist substance abusers,” he said.
The country is in the throes of a drug addiction crisis, affecting mostly the young people, with existing rehabilitation centres unable to cope with rising demand for counselling and rehabilitation services.
The centres are estimated to be treating or holding more than 5 000 people at any time, and thousands are said to be suffering without assistance.
In 2022, President Emmerson Mnangagwa said government was planning to implement laws to tackle drug abuse and amend penalties for drug peddlers.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) have since last year embarked on an operation targeting drug havens and peddlers.
Common drivers of drug abuse include unemployment, broken families, peer pressure, emotional and physical abuse, and curiosity, often resulting in addiction.
Commonly used substances, particularly in ghettos, included cannabis, crystal methamphetamine, and unprescribed cocaine, and so forth.
